Bag It Cancer Resource Center
Information is power–if it’s the right information. Bag It can serve as your first stop when you are searching for reliable, respected, researched and updated information available on a wide array of topics related to cancer.
If you are looking for specialized resources, please view these pages: Bag it Bag Resources, Population Groups, Cancer Types or State Resources. Learn quickly about new cancer resources, research and events by joining our mailing list.
Clinical Trials
Cancer clinical trials are research studies that involve people (volunteers) that participate in tests of drugs, procedures, devices or other therapies. There are strict rules in place to ensure the safety of the people participating in the trial. The findings could result in a better way to prevent, diagnose or treat cancer, improve cancer care or a person’s quality of life during or after treatment. Each clinical trial is different in its purpose, protocol, and eligibility requirements. Discuss with your doctor if a clinical trial could potentially be of benefit to you.
American Cancer Society – general information and videos about clinical trials
Cancer Research Institute – cancer immunotherapy clinical trial finder
Clinical Trials.gov – government database lists publicly and privately supported clinical trials
Massive Bio – cancer clinical trials matching
Medline Plus – listing of clinical trials for various cancers
National Cancer Institute Clinical Trials – general information and how to find clinical trials
The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation – listing clinical trials for various cancers
Caregivers & Family Resources
Some of these organizations provide direct support services, educational materials, practical tips and how-to’s for caring for someone with cancer.
Others provide programs and resources specifically to ensure the health and well-being of care partners and loved ones, including support groups and professional one-on-one counseling.
Adventure Therapy Foundation – emotional restoration for families impacted by cancer
Bright Spot Network – support group, financial support and programs for kids of a cancer patient
CancerCare – caregiver education and online support groups (general and cancer specific)
CancerFinances.org – an online toolkit to help people manage finances after a cancer diagnosis.
Camp Kesem – supports children through and beyond their parent’s cancer with fun year-round activities, events and a free weeklong summer camp
Caregiver Action Network – education, peer support, and resources to family caregivers across the country free of charge, a caregiver help desk
Caring Bridge – communications platform that allows a family to provide health updates to their entire chosen personal community at one time….and receive supportive comments back in one place. Through the Planner, CaringBridge families can also digitally coordinate helpful tasks like meals, errands and even schedule Zoom calls
College Consultants Care – provides FREE college application assistance and financial aid planning to students diagnosed with cancer or have a parent diagnosed with cancer
EduMed – The Caregiver’s Handbook: An Online Resource for Caring for a Loved One
Family Caregiver Alliance – caregiver education, online support groups
Help for Cancer Caregivers – personal caregiver guide
Jack’s Caregiver Coalition – improving the way guys think, feel, and act through every phase of their caregiving journey
Lotsa Helping Hands – organize meals and help for someone in need
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – free nutrition education and consultations for all cancer types
Take Them A Meal– online meal coordination tool
The Legal & Financial Navigation Program – offers one-on-one help with issues such as work, health and disability insurance, finances, and estate planning.
Triage Cancer®️ is a national, nonprofit organization that provides free education on legal and practical issues that may impact individuals diagnosed with cancer and their caregivers, through events, materials, and resources.
National Cancer Institute Publications (download PDFs, ebooks, or Kindle version)
Coping with Advanced Cancer – information about dealing with transitions in care, communication with others, and end of life issues.
Facing Forward When Someone you Love Has Completed Cancer Treatment – support for Caregivers
Patient Power’s Care Partner Center– supporting care partners and other loved ones through education and advocacy
When Someone You Love Has Advanced Cancer – support for Caregivers
When Someone You Love Is Being Treated for Cancer – support for Caregiver
When Your Parent Has Cancer – A Guide for Teens
See Parenting & Fertility for more family resources.
Drugs & Side Effects
Information about possible side effects during and after cancer treatment and ways to manage them with the help of your healthcare team.
American Cancer Society – managing physical cancer-related side effects
American Cancer Society – managing long-term cancer-related side effects
American Cancer Society – information about palliative care to manage side effects
American Cancer Society – types of complementary therapies that may relieve symptoms and side effects
American Cancer Society – late- and long-term side effects of cancer treatment
CancerCare – booklets and podcasts on coping with side effects from cancer treatment
Cancer Support Community – booklets on side effects for specific cancer types
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Side effects of treatment
Consumer Med Safety – medication safety tips
Cook for Your Life – healthy cooking for those touched by cancer
Coping with Side Effects Booklet
eBeauty – provides wigs
Look Good, Feel Better – teach beauty techniques to help manage appearance-related side effects of treatment
Medline Safety – trusted health information
National Cancer Institute – side effects of cancer treatment
National Cancer Institute – late side effects of cancer treatment and how to manage them
National Cancer Institute Eating Hints – before, during, and after cancer treatment (download PDF, ePub, Kindle formats)
National Cancer Institute Chemotherapy and You – discusses side effects from chemotherapy (download PDF, ePub, Kindle formats)
National Cancer Institute Radiation Therapy and You – side effects from radiation therapy (download PDF, ePub, Kindle formats)
National Cancer Institute Pain Control – support for people with cancer
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health – definitions and research about complementary and integrative health methods
National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) – immunotherapy side effects
National Lymphedema Network – information on prevention and management of lymphedema
OncoLink – help patients deal with the side effects of cancer treatment such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue, infection, and pain
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – free nutrition education and consultations for all cancer types
Patient Resource – Managing Cancer Pain (download PDF)
Skin Toxicity: Side Effects of the Skin
Springboard Beyond Cancer – how to manage side effects
Helpful APPs
We have gathered some APPs that patients, caregivers and cancer advocates would find useful in their research for treatment options, support, and other topics.
211 Arizona – help find resources available in Arizona, and provide connections to critical services
CancerBuddy ™ – Social support network app for people facing cancer (patients, survivors, caregivers)
American Cancer Society ACS CARES™ (Community Access to Resources, Education, and Support) – Access personalized cancer information, speak with specialists 24/7, find reliable resources, connect with experienced volunteers, and receive in-person support at select clinics.
Ina®The Intelligent Nutrition Assistant from Savor Health® – Tips for eating healthy and staying well-nourished throughout their treatment and beyond
NCCN Cancer Guidelines – National Comprehensive Cancer Network offers people with cancer and their caregivers plain-language information to talk with their clinicians about the best treatment options
Hospice Care
Here are hospice-related resources that we hope are helpful to patients, caregivers and cancer advocates.
Insurance, Managing Costs & Financial Assistance Resources
Information about health insurance and disability insurance, support in managing finances and cancer costs during and after treatment. Many organizations offer financial assistance for cancer-related expenses including medications, co-pays, basic needs and other out-of-pocket expenses.
Insurance: Health Insurance, Disability Insurance
Accessia Health – educational, financial & legal assistance for those with chronic health conditions
CancerCare – health insurance
CancerFinances.org – Cancer Finances, hosted by Triage Cancer, offers a toolkit for individuals diagnosed with cancer and their caregivers to understanding how cancer impacts their finances and connects them to financial assistance resources
Cancer Insurance Checklist – the Cancer Insurance Checklist is designed to help you when shopping for insurance on your state’s Health Insurance Marketplace if you have cancer, a history of cancer, or are at risk for cancer
Cancer Legal Resource Center – info on maintaining employment through treatment, accessing healthcare and government benefits, taking medical leave and estate planning
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Healthcare.gov – marketplace health insurance
National Patient Advocate Foundation – provides educational resources to help patients advocate for themselves and make informed, personalized health care decisions
OncoLink – insurance, legal and financial concerns
Patient Advocate Foundation – case management, co-pay relief, insurance guide
Social Security Disability Insurance
Triage Cancer – offers free educational resources including actionable information on topics such as health insurance, employment issues, finances, and more
Financial Assistance
Accessia Health – financial assistance to pay for prescriptions, medical treatments and expenses, and insurance premiums
Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation
A Helping Hand – find assistance from organizations providing financial or practical help
Bankrate – Cancer costs–Resources and help to manage housing expenses during treatment
CancerCare – ccomprehensive information about financial assistance resources
Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition
College Consultants Care – provides FREE college application assistance and financial aid planning to students diagnosed with cancer or have a parent diagnosed with cancer
Cancer Support Community– a $250 relief grant for people with cancer who are in active treatment. The financial assistance will be limited to food, transportation, housing, utilities, childcare, or other non-medical expenses
Family Reach – dedicated to eradicating the financial barriers that accompany a cancer diagnosis, a widespread issue known as Cancer-Related Financial Toxicity (CRFT)
Good Days – providing resources for life-saving and life-extending treatments
Financial Assistance, continued
Medicine Assistance Tool– search engine to help those with financial need get access to their prescription
My Healthcare Finances – a tool to help you better understand finances related to healthcare and steps you may take to lower your costs
Nancy’s List – list of integrative therapies and financial assistance
National Cancer Institute – listing of support organizations
Needy Meds – prescription assistance
Pan Foundation – out-of-pocket expense financial assistance
Partners in Care – financial assistance
Partnership for Prescription Assistance – connects uninsured and underinsured patients to prescription assistance programs
Patient Advocate Foundation – co-pay relief and other financial assistance
RxHope – patient assistance program for medications
The Assistance Fund – financial assistance for breast cancer patients in active treatment
The Cerner Foundation – individual medical grants and health and wellness programming for children
The Pink Fund – financial assistance for breast cancer patients in active treatment
Managing Costs
CancerCare – managing the costs of cancer care
Cancer Support Community – managing cancer costs, including medications
Copay Assistance – Help people with cancer overcome financial access and treatment barriers by assisting with co-payments for their prescribed treatments. Offer easy-to-access, same-day approval over the phone and online
Managing Finances From CancerFinances.org
NCI’s Managing and Tracking Costs – tools to help understand your costs, health insurance, medical bills and statements. Learn tips to manage your costs
Transportation & Lodging
Angel Flight West – flights for medical care
Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation (lodging) – financial assistance, comprehensive resources, educational information, physician referrals, and emotional support programs
Corporate Angel Network – free air travel for treatment
Fisher House (for vets) – free housing or military and veteran families during hospital stays
Healthcare Hospitality Network – lodging list near healthcare providers
Joe’s House – lodging guide for cancer patients
Legal Rights, Workplace & Advance Care Planning
Check out these organizations for topics related to work, healthcare rights, state and federal protections and benefit programs, and important legal documents to protect you and your loved ones.
Legal Rights
Cancer Legal Resource Center – information about legal rights regarding employment, health care, and government benefits
Cancer Legal Resource Center Patient Legal Handbook – information about cancer-related legal issues from diagnosis through survivorship
Patient Advocate Foundation – laws and protections in healthcare and employment
The Americans with Disabilities Act – legal rights for those with disabilities such as cancer
Triage Cancer – education on practical and legal issues that may impact those with cancer and their caregivers
Advance Care Planning
American Cancer Society – general information about different advance health care directives
Cancer Legal Resource Center Patient Legal Handbook
Five Wishes – advance care planning program
Peaceful Presence Project – education to improve death and grief literacy; holistic and proactive planning for advanced illness care and compassionate bedside presence
Triage Center – estate planning resources for those coping with cancer and their caregivers
Workplace
Cancer and Careers – empowers and educates people with cancer to thrive in the workplace
Cancer Legal Resource Center Patient Legal Handbook – information about cancer-related legal issues from diagnosis through survivorship
Family Medical Leave Act – entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job- protected leave for specified family and medical reasons
The Americans with Disabilities Act – federal civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities such as cancer
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission – enforces Federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination
Triage Center – legal and practical resources to help navigate employment & workplace issues after a cancer diagnosis
Triage Center – animated video on managing side effects at work
Parenting & Fertility
These organizations offer support for families dealing with cancer, book lists and tips about talking to children about cancer, fertility and becoming a parent after a cancer diagnosis.
Parenting and Cancer
American Cancer Society – helping children when a family member has cancer
Billy’s Place (Arizona) – community, emotional support, support groups, grief, peer support
CancerCare for Kids – free workshios, booklets, counseling, support groups for parents and children of all ages
Children’s Treehouse Foundation – books, videos, online activities for children of parents with cancer
Tu Nidito, No Child Grieves Alone (Arizona) – professional individual support, group support, grief
Worth the Wait – financial support for fertility treatments, adoption and surrogacy
Yale Cancer Center – parenting tips
Cancer Books
National Cancer Institute When Your Parent Has Cancer – A Guide for Teens
Susan G. Komen’s “What’s Happening to Mom” e-booklet
What Do I Tell the Kids (Cancer Support Community) – discussing cancer with children
When Someone You Love Is Being Treated For Cancer (download PDF, eReader or Kindle) – talking with children of different ages
When Your Brother or Sister Has Cancer
Yale Cancer Center Book List for Families and Children – cancer treatment, grief and loss
Camps and Retreats
Camp Kesem – supports children through and beyond their parent’s cancer with fun year-round activities, events and a free weeklong summer camp.
CancerCare – list of camps and retreats
Little Pink House of Hope – people with breast cancer and family
Nancy’s List – list of retreats and camps for families
Needy Meds – list of camps and retreats
Project Athena Foundation – athletic adventures
Project Koru – week-long camp for cancer survivors (18-39), community, adventure, and empowerment
Wish Fulfillment
American Cancer Society – coping and living well during cancer treatment
Family Planning & Fertility
Alliance for Fertility Preservation
Bonei Olam – funding for fertility treatment and research
chick mission – financial support, educational programs and advocacy efforts to help woman preserve fertilty
Hope for Two – support for those with cancer who are pregnant
Livestrong Fertility – understanding fertility risks and options with a cancer diagnosis
National Adoption Foundation – financial support for adoptive families
Repro Tech – long-term cyrostorage and fertility preservation
Resolve: The National Infertility Association
Team Maggie for a Cure – fertility preservation
The OncoFertility Consortium – fertility options for cancer survivors
Supportive Care (Peer Mentors, Support Groups, Online Communities)
Supportive care helps with the psychological, physical, social, and spiritual effects of cancer, as well as practical needs. It can improve quality of life from the day of diagnosis. Many organizations offer their services at no charge for those with cancer and their caregivers and families.
Emotional Support
4th Angel Program – peer support
American Cancer Society – support and online communities
American Cancer Society – coping and living well during cancer treatment
American Cancer Society’s Cancer Survivors Network – peer support, online discussion board
CancerCare – online support groups and counseling
Cancer Hope Network – one-on-one cancer support
Cancer Support Community – online discussion board, helpline
Facing Our Cancer Risk Empowered – peer support, support groups,online community for hereditary cancer
Friend for Life Cancer Support Network – one on one matched cancer support’
Health Tree Foundation – support, education, peer connections, patient portal
Imerman Angels – one on one cancer support
OneVillage – personal navigation and coaching platform
SHARE Cancer Support – national helpline, educational programs, support groups, online communities, caregiver support, and survivor-patient navigation for breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers
Young Survival Coalition – Private Facebook group for young women with metastatic breast cancer, peer support
Grief
CaringInfo – grief and loss
Yale Cancer Center Book List – helping the family cope with grief
Palliative Care
American Cancer Society – cancer pain (website and downloadable PDF)
American Cancer Society – palliative care (website and downloadable PDF)
CaringInfo – Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Get Palliative Care – request palliative care to relieve symptoms and stress and improve your quality of life.
National Cancer Institute Pain Control: Support for People With Cancer
Palliative Care Conversations Matter
Patient Resource – Managing Cancer Pain (download PDF)
Complementary and Integrative Therapies
American Cancer Society Complementary and Alternative Medicine – definitions and use in cancer care
CancerCare Meditation app – for iPhone
Cancer Choices – your guide to healing with conventional, complementary, and self care
Integrative Oncology for Patients
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health – definitions and research about complementary and integrative health methods
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health-Pain – Considering Complementary Approaches (eBook)
Smith Center for Healing and the Arts – healing practices that explore physical, emotional, and mental resources that lead to life-affirming changes
Survivorship
Cancer survivorship starts at diagnosis. These organizations offer information, tools, and programs to help with all aspects of life both during and after treatment.
Adventure Therapy Foundation – emotional restoration for families impacted by cancer
A Fresh Chapter – empowers people to heal the emotional scars of cancer and reclaim their stories
A Fresh Start – support services and projects empowering people to heal the emotional scars of cancer and reclaim their stories
American Cancer Society – coping and living well during cancer treatment
American Cancer Society – palliative care (website and downloadable PDF)
American Cancer Society – follow up care after cancer treatment; treatment summary and survivorship care plan
American Cancer Society Hope Lodge – for temporary housing
American Cancer Society Road to Recovery (Get a Ride to Treatment) – transportation assistance
ArmorUp for Life – help the underserved survive and thrive before, during, and after their battle with cancer
Ciitizen – helps you collect, summarize, and share your medical records digitally, free of charge
Cook for Your Life – healthy cooking for those touched by cancer
Can Care – emotional support and cancer-related resource
Cancer Hope Network – one on one cancer support
Cancer Support Community – multiple support options
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Crossroads4Hope – a network of cancer support
Cure Today – magazine and online resource
Epic Experience Beyond Cancer – multiple programs designed to empower adult cancer survivors to live beyond cancer
Healthy Lifestyle, American Institute for Cancer Research
Imerman Angels – one on one cancer support
Jasper – app that gives you an overview of your cancer care at a glance
Livestrong at the YMCA: 12-week exercise program for cancer survivors
Living Well Cancer Resource Center
Lacuna Loft – online support programs for young adult cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers
My Lifeline (part of Cancer Support Community) – tool for online connection with family and friends
National Cancer Institute’s Facing Forward – Life After Cancer Treatment (download PDF, epub or Kindle formats)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health – definitions and research about complementary and integrative health methods
NCCN Cancer Guidelines – National Comprehensive Cancer Network offers people with cancer and their caregivers plain-language information to talk with their clinicians about the best treatment options
One Village – create a village, coordinate needs, share updates and receive support
Patient Empowerment Network– online resources to help patients find their voice at every step of their journey
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – free nutrition education and consultations for all cancer types
Prevent Cancer Foundation – families and children
SHARE Cancer Support – national helpline, educational programs, support groups, online communities, caregiver support, and survivor-patient navigation for breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers
This is Living with Cancer – articles on health & wellness, personal stories, and advocacy
Treatment Summary & Survivorship Care Plans OncoLink Survivorship Care Plan
Triage Cancer – Triage Cancer is a national, nonprofit organization that provides free education on legal and practical issues that may impact individuals diagnosed with cancer and their caregivers, through events, materials, and resources. The Legal & Financial Navigation Program offers one-on-one help with issues such as work, health and disability insurance, finances, and estate planning. CancerFinances.org is an online toolkit to help people manage finances after a cancer diagnosis.
Wildfire – A one-of-a-kind magazine and writing community designed with themes related to younger survivorship: body, mental health, fertility, parenting with cancer, career, identity after diagnosis, relationships and intimacy, and more.
While Bag It took efforts to collect materials only from nationally recognized, research-based publications, Bag It has not independently researched, verified, or otherwise confirmed the accuracy of any of the information provided. The links listed are not intended to be an endorsement of any information or services and should not be construed as medical, legal, or financial advice.